In the freight shipping business, it is well known that in many situations, the last few miles are both the source of delays and of extra costs, as may be required for special handling of small quantities of goods by rail to remote locations. However, since the delivery often involves the rail transfer of highway capable trailers to locations near final destinations, subsequent connection with trucks is a rather labor intensive and time consuming activity.
As a result, the use of rail-to-road intermodal system methods have largely been limited to long distance freight hauls. However, in an ever more competitive shipping cost environment, there remains a need for improvements which would provide cost savings, and in particular, labor hour savings, especially for the last few miles required for delivery of goods. Thus, it would be advantageous if novel, cost effective methods were available, along with novel apparatus for implementation of such methods, for improving economics of ship-to-rail-to-road freight transfer.
The foregoing figures, being merely exemplary, contain various elements that may be present or omitted from a specific embodiment for an apparatus as taught herein. The figures have been provided in a way that illustrates at least those elements that are significant for an understanding of the apparatus and methods taught herein, and for the alternate configurations thereof. However, various other elements for gear system useful for driving a rail car, and intermodal freight system components and methods of use thereof, may be utilized, within the teachings hereof and within the coverage of the claims set forth herein.